For designer Lori Paranjape, the Johnson East Residence began with the house itself. Originally built in 1973 and tucked into the woods outside Nashville, the home presented both challenge and possibility; dramatic angles, interrupted sightlines, and a complex layout softened by a spirit that already felt deeply connected to its surroundings.
Working closely with longtime clients Shawn and Andrew, Lori approached the renovation as an
act of continuation rather than reinvention. “We referred to this as a treehouse from the beginning,” she explains. “It feels like it has always been there; like it belongs there.” Warm woods, sepia tones, and richly layered stone palettes were chosen to echo the landscape beyond the windows, creating interiors that feel grounded, intimate, and enduring.
The home and property were ultimately named through family history: The acreage is now referred to as Honey Hills, inspired by Andrew’s grandfather’s apple orchard and beekeeping heritage, and the home itself has been named The Treehouse, a reflection of the home’s immersive relationship with the surrounding woods.
The Texture and Tone of Patina
In the primary bathroom, materiality became the defining gesture. Lori sought fixtures that
felt timeless rather than trend-driven, pieces that would soften, evolve, and gain character
over time. Featured here is our Central Park West collection in Unlacquered Brass, providing
lived-in warmth to the bath space.
“We wanted hardworking elements that would also age beautifully with the house,” Lori says.
“The living finish was the perfect way to offer them something that belongs in the home and
will only get better with time and use.”
Curved profiles, tactile handles, and a warm finish helped to create a space that feels calm
and deeply personal, balancing utility with quiet refinement. Rather than acting as accents,
the brassware became foundational to the room’s atmosphere, establishing a language of
texture and tone that informed every layer that followed.
Soaking In Sculpture
Tucked into a light-filled corner of the primary bath, our
Argile freestanding tub reinforces the home’s connection
to its natural surroundings. Its cocoon-like silhouette and
softly textured exterior echo the layered wood, stone, and warm tonal palette woven throughout the interiors. Chosen
for its sculptural presence, the tub brings balance to the room’s angular architecture, introducing a sense of
softness, warmth, and retreat within the wooded
setting of the home.
Designed for the Everyday
In the first children’s bathroom, the design balances durability with ease, embracing forms and finishes that feel approachable without sacrificing refinement. Thoughtful brassware selections bring warmth to the space, while clean lines and softened silhouettes maintain a sense of timelessness that can evolve alongside the family.
For Lori, hardware and plumbing fixtures are never an afterthought. “Hardware is one of our first selections on a project,” she explains. “It’s a foundational element that we build from with every selection that follows.”
That philosophy is felt throughout the room. The brassware establishes the visual rhythm
of the space, connecting materiality, scale, and proportion into something cohesive and
quietly expressive.
Generational Continuity
Throughout the second children’s bathroom, the focus remained on creating continuity with the home’s architecture and natural setting. Warm textures, layered finishes, and understated forms allow the space to feel connected to the broader design narrative of the house while still offering moments of individuality.
Rather than referencing a specific era, Lori looked for pieces that could exist comfortably across decades; profiles that feel familiar, tactile, and enduring. “We looked for finishes that get better with time and profiles that don’t belong in a particular era, but could be found in any decade,” she says.
The result is a bathroom that feels collected rather than decorated: grounded in craftsmanship, shaped by material honesty, and designed to grow more beautiful through everyday use.